You may be thinking, "Why is this entire post devoted to clothes?"
Well that is simple, just like in real life clothes say a lot about who you are and how you are feeling as well as the setting. For example, when we talk about archetypes, they are usually dressed to appear a certain way. Their clothing is either functional for the kind of work/life they choose to do/live. The clothing your character is dressed in paints an image in the mind of the reader. It is imperative that an archetype be styled a certain way.
Mad scientists always have an overcoat and poorly-kept hair.
Superman always has his cape - and as Clark Kent, he is always dressed as a news-reporter.
Uma Thurman's character, "The Bride aka Beatrix Kiddo," literally mirrors Bruce Lee in Kill Bill, Vol. 1 as she stares down "The Crazy 88."
Come to think of it, why are killers and assassins always dressed in severe colors like black and white? There is never a color that depicts or denotes a shred of light or levity. Take note of The Reservoir Dogs.
Their uniform is meant to keep them anonymous. In doing so, they are inadvertently stripped of their identities, their souls, and their conscience.
In the upcoming film "Killing Them Softly," Brad Pitt plays a contract killer who dresses in black from head to toe. This is meant to convey a certain extreme nature in his character. For him, there is little no middle-ground in his decisions or his morality.
As Tyler Durden, Pitt is a maniac whose clothing shows him to be a representation of The Narrator's id. The Narrator dresses in dull, frumpy clothes. Tyler (his alter-ego) is an explosion of color and mismatched prints...meant to display The Narrator's desire to break free of the mundane.
And what of the alter-ego? It can easily be said that many villains and heroes are linked by virtue of the idea that they are really just opposite sides of the same coin. If The Joker is wild (no pun intended), isn't Batman's costume even more bizarre?
He is designed to be an avenging angel, an extension of Bruce Wayne's ego. He is literally born from the very thing that Bruce Wayne fears the most. His costume represents a cathartic way of dealing with Wayne's pain and inner demons. In order to stop evil, he must become "...a terrible thought in the mind of his enemies." By dressing as a bat, he becomes the thing he fears the most. The irony here is that he becomes the thing HE fears the most. Poetic, isn't it?
Clint Eastwood's lone gunman is always dressed with a hat, a scarf around his neck and a long coat to hide his gun.
By describing your character's attire you also describe the setting or environment. If your character is wearing a black suit, readers will assume that the job interview is of a business like nature where the company's offices might be in a high-rise.
Lara Croft is always dressed for battle, with a gun holstered to her hip. She is ready to flee or fight, on a moment's notice.
Think about the world we live in and how important fashion is, the clothes you wear categorizes you as a certain type of individual. It's the same for your characters no matter what period, whether they are in an alternate universe, a renaissance fantasy period, a middle ages period, a SF romance universe or an era you make up, dress is important.
For instance, Batman would not look good as a cowboy.
But, it's been tried.
What style do you wear: artistic, romantic, eclectic, conservative, gypsy?
What style would be good for your characters according to their personality?
What colors do you like to wear?
What are your character's favorite colors? (use standard color meanings to portray emotions)
How does your favorite book, or movie characters dress, what style and which colors and what does it reveal about them?
Another interesting way to gain insight into your characters is by taking a peek at where and how they keep their clothes. As a result, it will be easier to write about your characters as you progress through your story.
Does he/she wear only one outfit or have a thousand to choose from?
Do they wear a uniform?
The type of houses, apartment and world your characters live in will tell you a lot about them. When filling out profiles for characters one of the basic questions will be about where they live, the type of home and the street in general, the immediate neighbors, and the car he/she drives.
Other questions you could ask yourself:
Also, think about your villains. What do their clothes say about them?
The Joker has always been extremely interesting to look at from a fashion/clothing perspective. On one hand, you have Jack Nicholson's version. It's a bit clownish.
On the other hand, you have Heath Ledger's version. He looks like a piece of rotting fruit. He is maniacal, twisted, and disheveled. He almost looks like a corpse that has been brought back to life.
How would your character decorate their home?
What color would they paint the walls?
Would there be art on the walls: original paintings or reproductions?
Dried or fresh flowers?
Carpet or wood?
What kinds of books are found in their bookshelves?
Just like clothes, people judge who you are by the type of home one upholds. For example, if your character's apartment is messy and filthy, readers will assume that your character is lazy.
When writing you must make sure the clothes as well as the home of your characters suit their personality or run the chance that your reader's sympathies dissipate.
Assignment:
As an exercise write a short piece about where your archetype(s) keep their clothes. You will most likely not be using this scene in your final assignment; however, by writing about the clothes, and where and how they are kept you will produce a deeper look at the character inside your own mind. Include in the piece details about how your archetype lives. What are their surroundings like?
This is your chance to reinvent a legend - piece by piece.
